Plant grafting has been one of the most useful and effective methods for growing new plants. This method has been recognized as one of the best methods for creating disease-resistant plants, especially with desired characteristics.
If you’re an avid gardener and you love trying out unique methods for growing plants, grafting can be one of the most efficient methods for you. Keep reading to find out all about this amazing method and some grafting plants examples.
Be with us till the end and you’ll know it was worth your time.
What Is Grafting Plant?
Plant grafting is simply a horticultural method where two or more plant portions are united together to continue growing as an individual plant. In other words, it is a vegetative propagation method for two related plants called scion and stock.
So, what are scion and stock?
Scion is the plant portion used for flowers, fruits, and leaves, whereas stock is the plant portion used for the roots. Usually, the stock is derived from a plant with a well-developed root system.
The stock should also be from a disease-free plant with optimum strength and one that can grow in an adequate environment.
Meanwhile, the scion is derived from a plant that has remarkable features in terms of appearance. Scion is taken from plants with attractive flowers, beautiful leaves, and delicious fruits.
The combination of these two plant portions gives rise to a new and unique plant. And the process behind it is called grafting.
However, many people confuse grafting with hybridization. Graft obtained through grafting is not the same as a hybrid. Unlike hybridization, the union of stock and scion results in the growth of graft as a single plant.
The graft mainly consists of roots belonging to the stock and the leaves, flowers, fruits and branches belonging to the scion.
Why Is Grafting Done?
So, why is it done? There are plenty of reasons behind it. Mainly, grafting is done to preserve the characteristics of two different plants in a single plant. In this way, you can get your desired characteristics in one plant.
Through grafting, we can control the size of a plant. We can keep the length short or increase the plant in terms of length and width with the help of grafting. Besides, grafting can also help in achieving desired style and shape of the plant. It plays a role in boosting the tree anchorage and provides resistance against stress.
Moreover, grafted plants can also undergo grafting with various species on a single stock to create diversity.
Grafting is an excellent method of growing plants that have no tendency to develop from cuttings or have slow rate of producing fruits. Through grafting, you can now obtain your desired characteristics in a single plant.
Examples Of Plants That Are Commonly Grafted
Now that you know all about grafting let’s have a look at some of the plants that undergo grafting on a frequent basis.
Most of these plants are common fruits and flowers around us. Due to this availability and easy accessibility, these plants are chosen commonly for grafting purposes.
Mango Tree
Binomial name: Mangifera indica
Scientific Classifications:
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Order: Sapindales
Family: Anacardiaceae
Genus: Mangifera
Species: M. Indica
Grafting methods that work with mangoes include wedge grafting, chip grafting, and veneer grafting. Another grafting method that is successful with mangoes is whip grafting.
However, among all the methods, veneer grafting is the best option for mangoes. Veneer grafting in mangoes improves the taste and size.
Wedge grafting also improves the quality of the planted tree. Moreover, through wedge grafting, the scion and stock growth increase remarkably.
Through these grafting methods in mango, the fruits grow faster, and the quality of the fruits remains the same for many years.
Apple
Scientific Name: Malus domestica
Scientific Classifications:
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Malus
Species: M. Domestica
Popular grafting methods for apples include whip grafting, tongue grafting, cleft grafting, and roots grafting. However, the most popular grafting method for apples is cleft grafting.
Most of the apples that undergo grafting resemble to crab apples. Apples achieve complete grafting by the end of winter. Grafting occurs in apples when both the stock and scion remain in a dormant condition.
Hawthorn
Scientific Classifications:
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Subfamily: Amygdaloideae
Genus: Crataegus
Hawthorn can be grafted using the veneer grafting method. Plants that can be grafted onto hawthorn include quince, medlar, pears, etc. The rootstock can be obtained from crab apples.
Redbud
Scientific Name: Cercis canadensis
Scientific Classifications:
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Cercis
Species: C. Canadensis
Grafting redbud plants is quite difficult, but with the help of the pot-grafting method, the process can become relatively easier. Late July to early August is the most suitable time for grafting redbuds. The success rate for obtaining effective redbud grafts is quite high, and the results are amazing!
Roses
Scientific Name: Rosa rubiginosa
Scientific Classifications:
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Rosa L.
Roses can be grafted using the T-tube budding or veneer grafting method. Using these grafting methods produces healthy and disease-free new plants. The grafted plants turn out to be unique and attractive. Also, you can cultivate roses as perennials.
Hibiscus
Scientific Name: Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis
Scientific Classifications:
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Subfamily: Malvoideae
Genus: Hibiscus L.
The most common grafting method in a flowering plant like hibiscus is side wedge grafting. Under optimum conditions, plants grow quickly after undergoing this type of graft.
Veneer grafting is another popular grafting method for hibiscus. During the early summer, this grafting method can be used in hibiscus plants. Other popular grafting methods for hibiscus include tip or saddle grafting, cleft grafting, and saddle wedge grafting.
Dogwood
Scientific Classifications:
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Asterids
Order: Cornales
Family: Cornaceae
Genus: Cornus L.
If you’re new to grafting, a dogwood tree can be a challenging one. However, through grafting, you can obtain your desired color of flowers. You can graft dogwood trees to achieve the pink blooms. Besides, you can also achieve a combination of both pink and white flowers in a single tree with the help of grafting.
Winter is the best season to graft a dogwood plant since both the stock and scion remain in dormancy.
The Different Methods of Grafting
There are different methods of grafting. Let’s have a look at some of these methods-
Side Veneer Grafting
Side veneer grafting is the most commonly used grafting method for plants. It is done especially for grafting plants that require a top-notch root system.
Saddle Grafting
Saddle grafting is another popular grafting method, especially for beginners. It is a relatively easy method, and it involves grafting with the help of a scion and stock of similar diameters.
Bark Grafting
As the name suggests, this grafting method involves the slitting of the bark. It is done when the bark remains slick and viridescent.
Bridge Grafting
This method of grafting is by far the most useful method for repairing damaged or weak plant. With the help of this method, nutrients and water can transport to the weak portion.
Splice Grafting
Splice grafting requires the scion and stock to be of the same diameter and the diameter of the stem to be less than or equal to half an inch.
Inarch Grafting
This grafting method is also very effective for damaged or weak portions of plants. Through this method, the weak and damaged parts of the plants are supported and repaired thoroughly.
Cleft Grafting
This is one of the most popular grafting methods out there. It is an excellent method for trees and plants bearing fruits and flowers. Grafted plants, as a result of cleft grafting, retain the desirable characteristics of the scion.
Whip and Tongue Grafting
In this type of grafting, the size of the scion and stock is usually identical. It is a common grafting method for woody ornamental plants like dogwood, hydrangea, jasmine, and willow.
History Of Grafting
So, how did grafting come into the picture?
According to some speculations, grafting originated in ancient Mesopotamia. Other speculations conclude that grafting started in Eurasia. While some believe as china being the founder of the art.
However, the majority of the sources have identified Ancient Greece and Persia to be the original grounds for grafting. Aristotle and Theophrastus wrote about grafting, while Paul the Apostle discussed grafting between olive plants. By 16t century, different types of grafting took place in many parts of England. Later, grafting became popular in different countries of the world.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Grafting
Like everything else, grafting has its own pros and cons. Let’s have a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of grafting-
Advantages
- Grafting reduces the time to produce fruits or flowers
- You can repair damage to your existing plants and trees through grafting
- Grafting provides resistance to different diseases in the new plant
- Through grafting, the height and style of the scion become convenient for fruit harvest
- With the help of grafting, the cultivated varieties can preserve their desirable characteristics.
- Grafting is an excellent method for producing unique varieties of plants with exceptional traits
- Harvest period gets extended due to plant grafting
- There is enhanced water and nutrient uptake in plants due to grafting
- Grafting build a tolerance to nematodes, wet soil, high and low temperature
Disadvantages
- Grafting requires experienced labor
- It can be an expensive method due to the high price of seedlings
- There may be alteration in the fruit quality in terms of taste and shape
- Grafting can result in a failure in case of inappropriate stock and scion combination
Final Words
Overall, plant grafting is an excellent method for producing new plants which are tougher and more prolific. Plants produced through grafting turn out to be resistant to different pests and diseases. Due to its numerous advantages, grafting is becoming hugely popular among floriculturists.